Compare oatmeal

Research · Oatmeal

What our research found about oatmeal

Plain oats are one of the simplest labels in the store: rolled, steel-cut and quick oats are all just oats, and the main difference is how finely they are cut and steamed, which changes cooking time and texture. The complication is flavored instant packets and cups, which often add sugar, flavorings, and sometimes oils or thickeners. A plain canister plus your own fruit or nuts usually gives the shortest ingredient list.

Two other things matter for some shoppers. Oats are often grown and processed near wheat, barley and rye, so people avoiding gluten should look for oats labeled gluten-free, which the FDA defines as under 20 parts per million. And “protein oatmeal” styles typically add pea or milk protein plus sweeteners; our records show these lists are much longer than plain oats.

Products

417 brands

Full labels recorded

820% of the shelf

Maker says organic

16maker’s claim

List an added sweetener

2of 8 labels

List a seed oil

0of 8 labels

Typical label length

2ingredients (median)

Counts use complete, current ingredient labels only. Records without a published label stay unknown and are never counted as clean.

What to compare

• One-ingredient oats. Plain oats should list only oats (organic oats if certified). Flavored cups add sugar, natural flavors and sometimes oils.
• Gluten-free labeling. If you avoid gluten, look for “gluten-free” on the package, which the FDA defines as under 20 ppm.
• Cut type. Steel-cut oats take longer to cook than rolled or instant oats; texture and cooking time are the main differences.
• Added sugar. Flavored instant oatmeal can contain several grams of added sugar per packet; check the added-sugars line.

References

1. Whole grains Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
2. Gluten-free labeling of foods U.S. Food and Drug Administration
3. Added sugars on the Nutrition Facts label U.S. Food and Drug Administration
4. Organic labeling and what the USDA Organic seal means USDA Agricultural Marketing Service